Growing Kopi, Drinking Qahwa: Stories of Coffee in Qatar and Indonesia

Growing Kopi, Drinking Qahwa brings to life the history of coffee growing, trading and drinking around the world, with a particular focus on the traditional and contemporary coffee cultures of Qatar and Indonesia, using interactive displays, immersive projections, sights, smells, soundscapes, a specially commissioned contemporary artwork and more.

Accompanying Growing Kopi, Drinking Qahwa: Stories of Coffee in Qatar and Indonesia will be a series of public programmes engaging local coffee shops, artists and baristas from Indonesia, as well as activities including barista experiences and competitions, special tours and partnerships with local shops.

Community Involvement

The ritual of making and drinking coffee is a social and communal activity; so was the content gathering and creation around this exhibition, especially where Qatar’s rich coffee culture is concerned.

The main contributors to this grassroots campaign included exhibition teen interns Ftaim Al Qahtani, Al Jouri Al Thani, Abdulrahman Al Qahtani, Al Mayasa Al Emadi and Abdullah Al Meghessib, representing Ajyal Altarbwy learning centre. These young minds were responsible for producing The Majlis film; a short film which looks at the etiquette of the traditional majlis and Arabic coffee (qahwa).

With an all-local cast, The Majlis film would not have been possible without the generosity of local community members. Mohammed Nasser Al Haddad and the Al Qahtani family, respectively, lent the team use of space in their homes for filming.

Below are some behind-the scenes looks at the making of The Majlis, a special Family Recipe video, and interviews given by this bright team to local radio broadcasters QBS and Qatar Radio.

The exhibition also benefitted from the expertise of coffee entrepreneurs, including Nasser Al Naemi and Maryam Al Bader, owners of local favourite Flat White. Coffee expert Mohamed Al Delaimi was invaluable support through oral history interviews, while Lowla Ali Salem – of local coffee product range Nafhat Derty – also contributed by filming how to make traditional Qatari qahwa.

Finally, teen artist Afraa Al Kubaisi lent Growing Kopi several of her works, spotlighting the concept of coffee and creativity within all sectors of the community.